1656 ALMIRANTA sunk off CADIZ complete Document & Info Package with Charts & ##

rico4ever

Tenderfoot
Jun 29, 2015
9
20
Naples, Florida
Detector(s) used
J.W.Fishers Pulse 8X
Minelab Excalibur
Pulse Star II
Primary Interest:
Shipwrecks
1656 ALMIRANTA sunk off CADIZ complete Document & Info Package with Charts & ##

I had the opportunity to participate in the 2004 expedition aboard the M/V LOUISA in search for this fabled Galleon, and have continued my research. I believe that I have deciphered the exact meaning of the documents that give eyewitness testimony as to the exact location. This is the same document(contraccion 1522) that has been mis-translated in numerous ways, to no avail ! The Louisa expedition was based on such a mis-translation/mis-interpretation, and therefore was doomed to failure from the start. I have over 1,300 pages of official AGI copies of the original Spanish documents, with over 130 pages of translations by the late Jack Haskins and Walter Cardona Bonet. I have charts from the Louisa showing the area mapped and the areas searched. Plus I have photos, videos, and firsthand experience in diving these waters. Looking active participation.. This is a Treasure Trove of hard Intel ! Serious Inquiries only, please. Rico
 

Last edited by a moderator:

old man

Bronze Member
Aug 12, 2003
1,773
1,709
East Coast
I had the opportunity to participate in the 2004 expedition aboard the M/V LOUISA in search for this fabled Galleon, and have continued my research. I believe that I have deciphered the exact meaning of the documents that give eyewitness testimony as to the exact location. This is the same document(contraccion 1522) that has been mis-translated in numerous ways, to no avail ! The Louisa expedition was based on such a mis-translation/mis-interpretation, and therefore was doomed to failure from the start. I have over 1,300 pages of official AGI copies of the original Spanish documents, with over 130 pages of translations by the late Jack Haskins and Walter Cardona Bonet. I have charts from the Louisa showing the area mapped and the areas searched. Plus I have photos, videos, and firsthand experience in diving these waters. Looking for active participation, . This is a Treasure Trove of hard Intel ! Serious Inquiries only, please. Rico
And Spain won't come after whoever tries to salvage one of their Treasure Wrecks? And Unesco won't get involved either?
 

Last edited by a moderator:
OP
OP
rico4ever

rico4ever

Tenderfoot
Jun 29, 2015
9
20
Naples, Florida
Detector(s) used
J.W.Fishers Pulse 8X
Minelab Excalibur
Pulse Star II
Primary Interest:
Shipwrecks
YES, old man, It's a different world now with ITLOS and Unesco putting Spain in the Catbird Seat, so a little stealth is required. After all, It is only the richest Treasure Galleon yet undiscovered in waters shallow enough for scuba, with BILLIONS sitting in a pile with no overburden ! That makes her a very tempting plum for those that enjoy a little risk with their treasure !
 

Treasure_Hunter

Administrator
Staff member
Jul 27, 2006
48,450
54,864
Florida
Detector(s) used
Minelab_Equinox_ 800 Minelab_CTX-3030 Minelab_Excal_1000 Minelab_Sovereign_GT Minelab_Safari Minelab_ETrac Whites_Beach_Hunter_ID Fisher_1235_X
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Rico, site rules does not allow solicitation of finances or funds.....
 

ARC

Gold Member
Aug 19, 2014
37,264
131,663
Tarpon Springs
Detector(s) used
JW 8X-ML X2-VP 585
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
YES, old man, It's a different world now with ITLOS and Unesco putting Spain in the Catbird Seat, so a little stealth is required. After all, It is only the richest Treasure Galleon yet undiscovered in waters shallow enough for scuba, with BILLIONS sitting in a pile with no overburden ! That makes her a very tempting plum for those that enjoy a little risk with their treasure !

Would beg to differ this.

First... IF it is "undiscovered"... how do you know what depth the water is ?
Second... IF also "undiscovered"... How do you know there is no "over burden" ?
Third... Not the "richest" treasure Galleon yet undiscovered... heh Undiscovered would apply the "others" that far out way this ship... and in water of unknown depth.

I a not mocking or shooting what you say down... just seems to be very bold statements...
Seems they could have come from "factual" knoledges ?
As in you know this how... in other words.
? ? ?
 

OP
OP
rico4ever

rico4ever

Tenderfoot
Jun 29, 2015
9
20
Naples, Florida
Detector(s) used
J.W.Fishers Pulse 8X
Minelab Excalibur
Pulse Star II
Primary Interest:
Shipwrecks
Very good points. We know the location from eyewitness accounts and salvage efforts launched immediately after the sinking in 1656, and they list the ranges to the landmarks. the distance from the Castillo San Sebastian and the approximate water depth in brazas. From extensive diving experience in this area, this location is hard, rocky bottom, and it is that, combined with the depth, that made salvage impossible with nets or oyster rakes in the 17th century. Then their bouys mysteriously dissappeared, and I guess they just gave up and lost interest until the modern era. Rumor is Franco was a big aficionado of La Almiranta and had the Armada Espanola searching for her.

As to the value, the fleet manifest lists her as carrying 2,423,924 Pesos when the fleet left La Havana. If a peso is an ounce, that means 75.74 TONS of silver, or value thereto. The Official English Pamphlet concerning the Battle, printed by Order of Parliament in Oct. 1656 estimates the value of the " Vice-Admiral" ,as they refer to the Almiranta at 1,100,000." Pieces of Eight". Considering that the Ship was owned by The Marques de Baides, Count de Pederosa, Royal Governor of Chile retiring to Spain after 19 years at that lofty position, carrying his family and his personal treasure back to Spain, and also aboard was his friend, the retiring Royal Governor of La Havana, with his own massive personal wealth this makes for quite a haul.

I have documents that state that after the English Fleet had retired with their prize ships in tow, that the Weather Deck of La Almiranta broke free from the rest of the ship, bobbed up to the surface, and floated five miles to wind up ashore on the beaches of Cadiz in the wee hours of the morning, with all manner of crated cargo still lashed, and all of it SIN REGISTRADA Worked Gold Pieces of the now-deceased Marquis---Banquet Service, Chandeliers, candleabras, etc. of solid gold, and none of it listed on the manifest, that the Crown of Spain did order the surviving Zuniga heirs to relinquish all hereditary lands and titles to the Crown. I believe that this is a very rich prize indeed, especially since she didn't get bounced across miles of reef and sandbars. Of course the proof is in the pudding, so we shall just have to wait and see ! Rico
 

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Top